Weird and Wild World Records

Hundreds of thousands participate in crazy contests on Guinness World Records Day

The World's Biggest Cup of Coffee is almost 10 feet tall and 9 feet wide. (Rex Features / AP Images)

A 15-year-old Australian boy named Lachlan Phelps held a note on a didgeridoo (a large bamboo or wooden trumpet developed in Australia) the longest, for 65.66 seconds.

Fifty karate students in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, kicked 85,791 times to set the record for the Most Full-Contact Kicks in One Hour by a Team.

In London, 28 women crammed into a tiny car to grab the title of Most People to Fit Into a Mini Cooper.

These are just some of the many wacky records that were set on the eighth annual Guinness World Records Day, which takes place each year on November 15. More than 420,000 people across the world came together to try to set new records. Those who were successful will be included in the 2013 edition of the Guinness World Records book.

REACHING FOR NEW RECORDS

Sir Hugh Beaver, a British businessman, got the idea for the Guinness World Records in 1951, when he asked a simple question: What was Europe's fastest game bird? He could not find the answer, and realized that questions like his were going unanswered all around the world. He created a world-records book, originally called The Guinness Book of Records. The first edition was printed in 1955.

Since then, millions of people have attempted to set records. Some have done it simply for the fame. Others have done it to raise money for charities or to bring pride to their countries.

"This year it seems to be all about bringing records back home to the people who are most passionate about enjoying their culture and national identity," says Craig Glenday, editor in chief of Guinness World Records.

Michael Kopp of Germany broke the record for Longest Duration Spinning a Basketball on a Toothbrush by twirling his ball for 26.078 seconds.

At St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 407 people set the record for Most People Flapping Their Arms Simultaneously.

And hundreds of thousands of kids from more than 2,600 schools in 30 countries attempted to break the record for "Sport Stacking," or building pyramids with plastic cups. The record, set in 2011, was 412,259 people stacking at the same time. Though officials are still reviewing this year's number, they are pretty certain the record was broken.